New South Wales in commanding position in Sheffield Shield final as Western Australia crumble on day two

Sat 22 Mar 2014, 8:55 PM AEDT

Photo

Centurion... Moises Henriques celebrates a hundred in the Sheffield Shield final against Western Australia.

Getty Images: Robert Prezioso

Three quick wickets to New South Wales paceman Josh Hazlewood after a classy ton from team-mate Moises Henriques has derailed Western Australia's hopes of claiming the Sheffield Shield in Canberra.

Warriors coach Justin Langer did not pull any punches when describing his team's situation after they were reduced to 4 for 15 at stumps on day two in reply to New South Wales' first innings total of 447.

"It was a pretty painful day. Probably couldn't have had a worse day to be honest," he said.

"How do you explain the last half-hour? It was a train wreck."

That painful period was set up after Henriques hit a classy 140 off 316 balls, soaking up 399 minutes in the middle and tiring out the Warriors players.

While New South Wales only need to draw to win the Shield for the first time since 2008, Henriques kept the scoreboard ticking over with classy shots both down the ground and square of the wicket.

"We wanted to bat them out of the game by scoring runs. But by being patient and waiting until the ball was in the zone," Henriques said.

It was going to take a monumental effort to overshadow Henriques's day two efforts with the bat, but Hazlewood (3 for 13) did just that when he took three wickets in his first ten deliveries, then backed it up with a sharp run-out to send Shield player of the year Marcus North back to the sheds.

His first two wickets came from the first two balls of the innings, dismissing Cam Bancroft caught behind then trapping Marcus Harris LBW.

It was the first time a team has had two golden ducks in an innings in Sheffield Shield final history.

"There was a bit of swing there early, but it's going to be hard work tomorrow," Hazlewood said.

"It helps when they're out in the field for 170-odd overs."

Hazlewood's second over was just as fiery, and he claimed the key scalp of Warriors captain Adam Voges (7) courtesy of a sharp catch by Ryan Carters at third slip.

New South Wales' position was a huge turnaround after a day one five-wicket collapse had reduced them to 6 for 189, forcing Henriques to dig in alongside fellow all-rounder Stephen O'Keefe (41) for a seventh-wicket stand of 90.

Henriques was finally dismissed one hour before the end of play when he skied a delivery from Warriors paceman Ryan Duffield (3 for 126).

Tailender Trent Copeland (35) and Australian Test spinner Nathan Lyon (36 not out) made valuable contributions, while Warriors paceman Jason Behrendorff was the pick of his side's bowlers with 4 for 95.

While Langer was disappointed with the situation, he said a lot could happen over the next three days.

"I've been around long enough to know that five-day cricket, lots of funny things can happen," he said.